Game difficulty

Hello gents,

I've been playing for a short time, and I've noticed that FM is alot more difficult (in my opinion anyway) than previous versions. It's good in alot of ways as its more realistic, less easier and more of a football simulation rather than a game, but I have to ask myself, is it worth playing if I'm getting stressed out rather than having fun..

Don't get me wrong, I like the realism, but I'm not sure if I prefer that over the unrealistic pick up and play nature of FM series previous. I'm sure there will be gamers saying that it's not a game its a simulation, so etc etc. I'd just like to know your honest thoughts on whether you find the game a tad difficult, and whether you think this is good or bad.

But then it's more satisfying when you get it right. I do find it extremely difficult at times, and whilst it might be because I insist on playing as Chesterfield, it's probably because I'm not very good, despite playing since CM 01/02. But I love it when I'm winning and I just leave the game when I'm losing.

This will be different for every individual..

Managing a big team is not difficult, and i am finding it pretty straight foward even managing small teams..

I also make make tactics / formations around my players, which takes into account their stregnths and weakness.. I also find that making small changes to tactics works wonder and take into considerations who you playing and where.

Spending some time on getting your tactics right, setting up deffending / attacking setpices, thinkin about team talks are also vital and can be a big difference between winning and loosing.

I find it harder but I think it's a turn for the better. Although this is a personal point of view, I enjoy having tactical battles with the CPU and am always looking to counter what they do. I know some people don't like changing their tactics every 5 minutes in game, so it it's really down to preference. The previous games, as you mentioned were a bit too easy and as aresult, didn't keep me interested for very long. Although I don't play this version much, I prefer it over 05 and 07.

Only have the one tactic for both home and away. Never needed to change it unless the opposition goes 424.

Always set opposition instructions for wingers and strikers to 'weaker foot'

Other than that - very little tweaking.

but constantly changing tactis can actually have a negative effect on your team.. i makes changes when i have to and its only slight chenges, unless i am in a cup finial or a knowckout and loosing then i might make big changes..

I agree that this version is slightly more difficult then previous versions.

, but I have to ask myself, is it worth playing if I'm getting stressed out rather than having fun..

Don't get me wrong, I like the realism, but I'm not sure if I prefer that over the unrealistic pick up and play nature of FM series previous.

Exactly my thoughts.

I stop playing FM altogether for weeks in a row nowadays because I get frustrated a lot more than I enjoy playing the game.

But, to each its own. Suggesting difficulty levels has been proved useless, because most fans of the game prefer it this way...

I think it's great that it's much harder than previous version. I'm finally doing a career game and I think the fact that I don't necessarily win everything all the time has made it even more addictive.

The one thing I would say is that the difference between playing as a major club and even just a good club is huge, but that echos real life. I had my first experience of managing a major club when I managed Barca recently and I won everything in sight, but it was all way too easy and started to get unrealistic so i've headed back to Germany to manage relegation candidated VFB Stuttgart. Yes it's hard, but that's why it's so addictive.

Originally posted by Doyle:

Hello gents,

I've been playing for a short time, and I've noticed that FM is alot more difficult (in my opinion anyway) than previous versions. It's good in alot of ways as its more realistic, less easier and more of a football simulation rather than a game, but I have to ask myself, is it worth playing if I'm getting stressed out rather than having fun..

Don't get me wrong, I like the realism, but I'm not sure if I prefer that over the unrealistic pick up and play nature of FM series previous. I'm sure there will be gamers saying that it's not a game its a simulation, so etc etc. I'd just like to know your honest thoughts on whether you find the game a tad difficult, and whether you think this is good or bad.

I agree that it's more difficult, and Id say this is the most realistic match engine to date. I fully understand where you are coming from and you have my sympathy too as I also find it difficult - my win rate is just 48%compared with other on this forum its abysmal!

I, like you love the fact its more realistic, but I find the frustration of no knowing where you are going wrong the worst bit though.

I regularly read the tactics forum, spend hours tweaking player instructions and tinkering with my gentilities etc. but I rarely go on a winning streak of more than 3 matches and I always struggle through a season.

I think having it as realistic as possible is great and the game should be more realistic, but I also think SI should have offered an ingame assistant that could help you out tactically. Sometimes you just need the game to tell you where youa re going wrong and why you keep getting spanked, because the game is huge and tehres so many variables effecting a result!

I dont have the benefit of FIFA coaching badge and what I know tactics wise is from hours of reading threads here, it would be nice not to have to spend 4 hours researching tactics for an hours gaming where I end up getting spanked anyway and become frustrated!

Sort It Out SI!

Originally posted by Box:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Doyle:

Hello gents,

I've been playing for a short time, and I've noticed that FM is alot more difficult (in my opinion anyway) than previous versions. It's good in alot of ways as its more realistic, less easier and more of a football simulation rather than a game, but I have to ask myself, is it worth playing if I'm getting stressed out rather than having fun..

Don't get me wrong, I like the realism, but I'm not sure if I prefer that over the unrealistic pick up and play nature of FM series previous. I'm sure there will be gamers saying that it's not a game its a simulation, so etc etc. I'd just like to know your honest thoughts on whether you find the game a tad difficult, and whether you think this is good or bad.

I agree that it's more difficult, and Id say this is the most realistic match engine to date. I fully understand where you are coming from and you have my sympathy too as I also find it difficult - my win rate is just 48%compared with other on this forum its abysmal!

I, like you love the fact its more realistic, but I find the frustration of no knowing where you are going wrong the worst bit though.

I regularly read the tactics forum, spend hours tweaking player instructions and tinkering with my gentilities etc. but I rarely go on a winning streak of more than 3 matches and I always struggle through a season.

I think having it as realistic as possible is great and the game should be more realistic, but I also think SI should have offered an ingame assistant that could help you out tactically. Sometimes you just need the game to tell you where youa re going wrong and why you keep getting spanked, because the game is huge and tehres so many variables effecting a result!

I dont have the benefit of FIFA coaching badge and what I know tactics wise is from hours of reading threads here, it would be nice not to have to spend 4 hours researching tactics for an hours gaming where I end up getting spanked anyway and become frustrated!

Sort It Out SI! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I completely agree with you both, the realism does seem to be a double edged sword. On the one hand its fantastic to have such a realistic take on football and all the goings on in the football world, but, on the other hand, it does make the game feel more like "work" at times rather than something we do for enjoyment. I do honestly think it is time for SI to introduce some kind of system of scaling down the realism for the people that want to, whether this be by a generic difficulty setting or some sort of option to customise ceratin areas like the match engine for example. (They already have done something similar with the detail levels).

Personally for me I have the game at an acceptable state where I can play and have fun but the cost was great, my whole football ethos went out the window and a new way of looking at things has had to come into play. No longer do I use my much beloved 4 4 2 as I cant get it to work and be consistant and in now has come a formation that I have never liked, namely 4 5 1.

I think if the game is approached as a fresh perspective and you are willing to put the work in then the fun is still there, but not all fans of FM are hardcore gamers a lot are pick up and play players and they are the ones that will sadly be alienated before to long if something is not done about the increasing difficulty.

Originally posted by Cometdude:

I do honestly think it is time for SI to introduce some kind of system of scaling down the realism for the people that want to, whether this be by a generic difficulty setting or some sort of option to customise ceratin areas like the match engine for example.

This has been mentioned a few times before, but surely it's already an option in the game e.g. Barcelona - Very Easy and Altrincham - Very Hard.

I understand where you are coming from and in theory I suppose an actual difficulty option should be there, but I just think introducing some sort of difficulty level no matter what team you are would be a lot of hassle for a lot players, whereas the current system of picking the appropriate club for difficulty level doesn't.

Originally posted by Nomis07:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Cometdude:

I do honestly think it is time for SI to introduce some kind of system of scaling down the realism for the people that want to, whether this be by a generic difficulty setting or some sort of option to customise ceratin areas like the match engine for example.

This has been mentioned a few times before, but surely it's already an option in the game e.g. Barcelona - Very Easy and Altrincham - Very Hard.

I understand where you are coming from and in theory I suppose an actual difficulty option should be there, but I just think introducing some sort of difficulty level no matter what team you are would be a lot of hassle for a lot players, whereas the current system of picking the appropriate club for difficulty level doesn't. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I have to say I disagree there partly. Picking a big club brings its own set of challenges for example Pick Barcelona and fail to win the league or champions league then you are out but the fact that you win a lot of games makes you feel good.

Personally I wouldnt use a difficulty setting as I have found it rewarding to work out a new way to play the game. I just feel that new comers to the game will struggle and be put off by a game that , for the inexperienced player, is a very difficult challenge and it is these people that I think SI should consider as sooner or later the hardcore will dry up.

The only things I'm finding especially difficult are concerned with tactics because I want to devise my own not use other people's instructions, especially not those designed specially to beat the match engine rather than because they are realistic.

Mostly I find my wingers are hopeless even if they are good players and I can't get my defence to defend properly. Apart from that the difficulty is fine and the issue with defenders is mostly one of me just never being able to get the hang of defensive instructions. The wingers issue appears more of a bug really because my wingers have very obviously realistic instructions.

I can't remember what game it was... Anyway I used to play this game and it had an "arcade mode" which reduced realism to make it more of a pick up and play game.

Cometdude,

As I said, I see where you're coming from, perhaps an unsackable option would be the way round it. I'm not entirely in favour of that option either, but it would mean that people whodon't want difficulty levels etc wouldn't have to take any notice of it and wouldn't be affected by it, whereas they would have to use difficulty levels.

The one thing I would say is, that the point you raised about getting sacked by Barca if you don't win the league straight away is perhaps part of the current confidence issue and should be fixed for FM09 (fingers crossed). Issues such as being sacked because of CL failings without taking the opposition into account, is obviously going to put newcomers off, but hopefully it won't be an issue come FM09.

Originally posted by Nomis07:

Cometdude,

As I said, I see where you're coming from, perhaps an unsackable option would be the way round it. I'm not entirely in favour of that option either, but it would mean that people whodon't want difficulty levels etc wouldn't have to take any notice of it and wouldn't be affected by it, whereas they would have to use difficulty levels.

The one thing I would say is, that the point you raised about getting sacked by Barca if you don't win the league straight away is perhaps part of the current confidence issue and should be fixed for FM09 (fingers crossed). Issues such as being sacked because of CL failings without taking the opposition into account, is obviously going to put newcomers off, but hopefully it won't be an issue come FM09.

I agree with you there, and it is a good point, If SI ever do introduce difficulty settings or some form of option to scale things down I would hope that it is something that would be set as "off" by default so that those that want it can activate it and those that dont will not even notice it.

Originally posted by Cometdude:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Nomis07:

Cometdude,

As I said, I see where you're coming from, perhaps an unsackable option would be the way round it. I'm not entirely in favour of that option either, but it would mean that people whodon't want difficulty levels etc wouldn't have to take any notice of it and wouldn't be affected by it, whereas they would have to use difficulty levels.

The one thing I would say is, that the point you raised about getting sacked by Barca if you don't win the league straight away is perhaps part of the current confidence issue and should be fixed for FM09 (fingers crossed). Issues such as being sacked because of CL failings without taking the opposition into account, is obviously going to put newcomers off, but hopefully it won't be an issue come FM09.

I agree with you there, and it is a good point, If SI ever do introduce difficulty settings or some form of option to scale things down I would hope that it is something that would be set as "off" by default so that those that want it can activate it and those that dont will not even notice it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Goodness me, makes a change to have a constructive debate with some sort of agreement or ability to agree to disagree without it falling into a slanging match. We should post this in "These Forums" to prove it can happen

It feels a bit too weird, maybe you should call me a name or something before the system crashes

Haha

Nomis you are a complete . . . . .

*crash*

The only way I can see difficulty levels working other than including an unsackable option is by vastly improving Assistant Managers and having them able to give you much more detailed advice, especially on tactics (again this could be a feature you would have to actively switch on) so that you aren't floundering around making bad tactical errors while your staff and players just watch on like dummies, fully aware of what is wrong, but incapable of putting their knowledge into words and letting you know!